A Monsters Ball

Oh dear reader the story must be quick to get it in on Halloween: that of the Duchess Alyza’s Monsters Ball. A grand and elaborate event: the castle in Caerlinlien was adorned with pavilions and gardens attended by servants, musicians, and artisans. Guests came from far and wide to attend Alyza’s costume party fore the event coincided with a popular day of the Eloele. But unbeknownst to the guests, Alyza arraigned the event to mock Eloele and give honor the New Dark God.

Oh dear reader, if you could see it. The guests spent fortunes on their costumes to win the prize for best dressed. The guests all brought gifts that would equal a commoners lifetime wealth hundreds of times over. But what did the guests get in return dear reader? A very wicked treat indeed, Alyza arraigned the gift exchange to net her all profit and give out next to nothing but a curse of the New Dark God. The party was marred by bad music and food, foul pictures and odd entertainment. A wicked joke to the usual festivities of Eloele.

But Alzya did more than through a bad party to make gold and spread curses; well she just spread more curses for some of the notable guests. One in particular was a gift given to Gunther Brandt of the Oaken Grove of Aeric: that of the necklace belonging to the hierophant of the heartland region (the area including the Riverport Marsh system). The necklace was given back by Alyza to Gunther but it carried a curse that would corrupt the next druid who wore it.

As time drew ever close to the change of the day, the costume winner was announced and that too carried a cruel joke. The pumpkin headed man’s costume was a little to real and when the pumpkin headed man removed the pumpkin head; several guests died of fright on the spot. And those souls would go to the New Dark God. All in all a good party.

The Extra-planer Adventures of Duke Nightmare

With the rise of the New Dark God, Duke Nightmare had to sacrifice many personal freedoms for power. But Duke Nightmare was always instilled with a few key goals that would not stand in the way of any god. First: Duke Nightmare sought blood power. Second: Duke Nightmare wanted to breed a whole generation of evil children that one day would be pitted against one another until only one true scion of Duke Nightmare survived. Third: Duke Nightmare sought a stronghold for protection.

One of the Dracolichs was dispatched to the surface world to terrorize the population and the Dracolich’s lair would serve as another safe house for Duke Nightmare. The Dwarf was made a captain of the Monster Society of Evil, an elite group dedicated to Duke Nightmare, and the Dwarf would serve as an ambassador of sorts for Duke Nightmare. But Duke Nightmare sought to expand his power past the material world and stretch his hand into the extra-planer.

Oh dear reader, once Duke Nightmare had in his possession a lovely necklace that would allow him to travel to the City of Doors. But dear reader, like most things, Duke Nightmare squandered the power and lost the item to the Lady of Pain. But Duke Nightmare did retain a few things: Duke Nightmare was still considered noble. Though Duke Nightmare never could plea for favor from the Lady of Pain a new opportunity awaits.

But dear reader the City of Doors is not where Duke Nightmare starts his extra-planer adventure. No dear reader for that we need yet another story. A story of love maybe?

///

The Bedazzlement of a Beast

Place: the throne room of Duke Nightmare’s castle

Characters: DN-Duke Nightmare, K-Kareem, O-Otto the Rake

ACT 1

DN: Ah my former master, Otto, how I do hear about your exploits!

O: Lord Nightmare, you do favor me, but least you forget my brother Salim

DN: No, no. I mean no jest against you or your kin. So where is your other brother? Word came that he intends to fulfill a promise of old

O: That is up to you, I can deliver my brother whenever you would like and where ever you would like. Are you not master of your house? You pick and we will deliver as promised

DN: You make it out like you are brining me something dangerous. What did you do? Capture one in the wild? Have it bound in chains? Think I am going to do the old in-out and be done?

O: No insult to you, I am just keenly aware of your discretion

DN: Hardly master thief, hardly. But be it as it is, just summon your brother and let us be done with this

K: I am here Lord Nightmare and I brining your newest concubine

Succubus: Hail Lord Nightmare

DN: Good, good. Now leave. Escort them to the surface personally

Dwarf: Yes sir

K: That will not be necessary

DN: Oh but it is. One does not just appear in my court. And Otto one does not come with to court without a present

O: I mean no offense…

DN: The next time I will see you, I will have a present for you. One that you will like. Think about that for our next encounter

Dwarf: Come on you two, we got a ways to go

DN: Now what do I have here?

Succubus: I am here to serve. I will provide you a child and your “friend” their has paid me very handsomely

DN: Never talk like that in my presence. You do not know who I am. Yet

Succubus: Yes, of course, but I just saw how you treated them…

DN: Exactly. You do not know me; those two mortals have saved me in several tight spots and always come out on top. And I know this; like I know that they must have given you something real good do come here

Succubus: Yes and now lets get on to the good stuff

DN: Settle yourself; fore I have one question I want to ask you. Do you think you will get out of this alive?

Succubus: What ever do you mean?

DN: After all the dust settles and you think you fulfill your promise. Do you think you will get out of this alive?

Succubus: Do you?

DN: I know I will survive whatever challenge I face: I am immortal. Now I ask you again: do you think you will get out of this alive?

Succubus: I want to

DN: That is the right answer. Now, how do you work for?

Succubus: Red Shroud

DN: Good, that should make this easy on all of us. I am familiar with your master, now will you serve me in guiding me to her court?

Succubus: It would seem I have no choice

DN: Good, I think you are beginning to understand me. How much do you think you can carry?

Succubus: What do you mean?

DN: Think you could carry a tun of grain or wine?

Succubus: I suppose I could carry a tun of wine if it was in a cask

DN: Come, we will carry material supplies for profit along our journey

ACT 2 - Place: the fortress of Broken Reach

DN: Come Succubus, which of these merchants should we deal with?

Succubus: There, that one flies the flag of Lolth

Dark Elf: eh, what do we have here?

DN: I have a tun of wine and sacks of grain

Dark Elf: eh, the wine? That is good! But grain! That is bad!

DN: You must eat it or do I need to talk to another merchant?

Dark Elf: eh, no wait, I will buy both! Give you gold!

DN: Good, I brought scales

Succubus: Now that you made your gold, can we leave?

DN: Do not be in a rush. Broken Reach is known as the place to get any kind of poison to be found on any layer of the infinite abyss

Succubus: Fine, I know someone who you want to talk to

///

Succubus #2: What present surprise did you bring me? What do you want do double up on him? Oh, he looks so strong, this should be fun

Succubus: He is not under my control, I am under his and all we can for was poison

Succubus #2: oh rats, but you could always stay for more

DN: I will take as much poison as this amount of gold will buy

Succubus #2: Aren’t you worried that I could rip you off?

DN: No, I have her

Succubus #2: Good point, what do you want?

DN: Give me a good mix, just tell me how each is used

Succubus #2: Dealers choice? Nice Call, I have few treats for you then

///

DN: Hail Red Shroud. I am the glorious king, Duke Nightmare

Red Shroud: Well meet, Duke Nightmare. What brings you to my humble court?

DN: Humble indeed, to have such luxury in the midst of the Abyss!

Red Shroud: You flattery me, Pazunia is hardly the most treacherous parts of the Abyss

DN: Still, you should let the compliment stand for commanding such a handsome fortress

Red Shroud: Well meet again, Lord Nightmare, your flattery has won me over. What can I do for you?

DN: Very good, but first I want to let you know about the traitor in your midst. The very succubus that brought me hence

Succubus: I do not…

Red Shroud: Silence! Continue

DN: This succubus entered into a deal with a very good friend of mine for this succubus to give me a child. Now do not go blaming my friend, fore it was in their best intentions and my instruction that they sought out such a deal to begin with. But my dear lady, this succubus knew what she could gain and I bet she did not tell you a thing?

Red Shroud: This is true, I was not aware of any deal. But if I could dare my dear Lord Nightmare, what makes this succubus a traitor?

DN: This succubus knew of my heritage and was eager to gain that power and would keep it secret.

Succubus: I honestly do not know of what he speaks!

Red Shroud: I said silence, be you quite or I will have crows eat your tongue out of your very head! Continue

DN: You asked me what you could do for me? Trap this succubus soul in a gem and give it to me

Succubus: No! Listen to me...

Red Shroud: There, take her. Now what do you have to offer me?

DN: I am a personal friend of Firebeard Blackaxe, Malik of the Efferti. I have bested Graz’zt and the witch Baba Yaga in deals. I have slain lichs and dragons. I have the blood of gods running in my veins. Not just one, but several. I serve the Master of the Past and Present. I am a herald to the New Dark God. I am a destroyer of worlds

Red Shroud: I see

DN: I appreciate the gift.

DN (aside): Did you think you would get out of this alive? I think not!

DN: I look forward to your offer

Red Shroud: My offer?

DN: My stud services. I have an Infernal Attorney in the City of Doors. I look forward to your offer

Underling #1: Boss, he is leaving

Underling #2: I do not think the Boss cares

Underling #1: Why you say that?

Underling #2: Boss doing something I have never seen Boss do

Underling #1: Yeah, what that? What you doing Boss?

Underling #3: She is smiling

Underling #2: Smiling, what is that?

Underling #1: Remember when you broke that vase last week? And Tim got blamed? Smiling is what you did when Tim got whipped

Underling #2: Oh that, I have never seen Boss like that

Underling #3: It has been a long time

Red Shroud: You broke my vase!

Underling #2: oh no!

Underling #3: oh, that did not last long

///

Oh dear reader, what did I promise? The adventures, as in plural. Oh dear reader do you have the constitution do deal with another story of Duke Nightmare in different dimensions? Let us make it a quick one.

Duke Nightmare travels from the Pazunia, through a portal in the fortress of Broken Reach. The portal takes Duke Nightmare to the Outlands, the gate-city of Plague-mort. Duke Nightmare hires a guide and travels to the City of Doors. In the City of Doors, Duke Nightmare secures a rental property and hires a lawyer to represent his business interests.

That was pretty quick dear reader. But I wonder what kind of lawyer Duke Nightmare hired? Duke Nightmare did refer to an Infernal Attorney. One would need a good consul when dealing with demons. Duke Nightmare has money to burn and abolitions abound, so Duke Nightmare will probably hire a lawyer like in Scarface or Carlito’s Way and the craziness will ensue.

Master of the Past and the Presen

Duke Nightmare was holding court in the throne room of his castle in the Underground Forest when a familiar figure appeared in the room: that of the Lich, master of the past and present. The Lich ordered Duke Nightmare to bow before him and of course dear reader; Duke Nightmare did not comply. The Lich would cast a spell that in game terms would reduce Duke Nightmare’s hit points in half so Duke Nightmare would bow. The Lich would sit in Duke Nightmare’s throne and start to conduct business as the new master of the house. Duke Nightmare would watch as the Lich would summon all his servants and soldiers and some how scared them even more. Which dear reader is quite a feat in and of itself: fore Duke Nightmare kept all below him in a constant state of terror. The Lich routed out spies and weaklings, promoted the bold and reckless, and to take command of the undead like never before.

Duke Nightmare would have to accept the presence of the Lich and benefit from it. The Knights of the Underground Forest would be equipped with the best equipment, accommodations, flying mounts, and privilege. The Wizard’s Cabal would benefit from the instruction of the ancient mage and begin to conduct even darker experiments. The undead under the control of the dracolich would begin to organize and assist in the purges in the Underground Forest. The monstrous city in the valley of the Underground Forest would benefit by the spread of the new religion to the New Dark God. The above ground coliseum would benefit greatly from the ability of the Lich to summon outrageous monsters to fight in spectacular battles. The coliseum would also begin to function as the junction to the shanty town district. The shanty town district reputation as a thief’s hideout would begin to spread and all sorts of ill-types both benign and hostile. All and all dear reader the holdings of Duke Nightmare would begin to grow, under the title of Duke Nightmare but by the hand of the Lich.

The Lich would also have a great impact in the life of Kareem. Over the course of the last several years Kareem has watched the church’s he founded grow in power and influence. Using cunning and intrigue, Kareem got his church legalized in the Imperial City and got the Militant Order to back down on their threats of war. Kareem also grew his own political power by marring into a prestigious family and placing others in key positions in various governments. It all seemed to be going Kareem’s way and with plans for ultimate power over four worlds: Kareem life plan would seem to be narrowing down.

The vampire cleric of the New Dark God and the Lich would present Kareem with an offer he could not refuse. Fore Kareem to retain his life, Kareem would have to pledge to build the religion in to a furor and war against the enemies of the New Dark God. And in return for this service: Kareem would be allowed to grow his family and after Kareem’s physical life ends the Lich would raise Kareem up as undead. Kareem had no real choice in the matter: fore that dear reader if the price you pay when dealing with gods.

Messages from the Second Sword Mage

A sealed letter is delivered to Duke Nightmare at his castle in the Underground Forest. The herald of the letter is reveled to be a demonic rutterkin; which Duke Nightmare had the demon promptly captured and snap-tong weapon seized. The rutterkin would suffer many fates: death in the gladiatorial arena, autopsy research, and finally components in dark rituals or foul concoctions.

A sealed letter is delivered to Duchess Alyza of Cariele: the rutterkin was disposed of by the golem guardians.

A sealed letter is delivered to Count Stiele Ghieste: word was that the messenger was allowed to depart unobstructed.

A sealed letter is delivered to Assan ibn Daouta, King of Elinie. The rutterkin messenger was dispatched by the scion of Elinie in one fell sword strike. The King would order paladins of the Life and Order of Avanalae to investigate the new Sword Mage and the region of Ghoere in general.

Oh dear reader was that all the letters that the Sword Mage would send out? Defiantly not less; probably maybe. What bitter fruits will the Second Sword Mage reap from sowing in fields populate by friends and foes alike? Some would say: only the Shadow knows.

Tales of the Mystery Man

Otto the Rake travels back to Muden upon receiving the crown jewels of Cariele to claim the title of Master Thief. Otto, master of disguise, sneaks into the region and secures passage on a princely vessel. The yacht that Otto secures sails out of port waits a week, and then travels back carrying Otto the Gentleman.

Otto’s yacht sails gallantly into the noble section of the ports and is instantly seized upon by the Muden guard. Otto masterfully talks his way past the lowly patrol ship and avoids inspection under the assumption that Otto has documentation securing him diplomatic privilege under Raphael Saberstrike, the King of the Southlands. The yacht is greeted by a bit more dominating guard and Otto is lead under custody to meet the Captain of the Guard.

The documentation that Otto presents is hard to dispute because of the foreign Anuire script and seals. What the Captain of the Guard really wants to know is what a Brecht “diplomat” representing a new Anuirean kingdom thinks he is going to be able to pull off. Without missing a beat, Otto replies that as a third party negotiator he could conduct the release of the Pirate King. Oh dear reader, I wish you could have seen it, when Otto said that quip to the Captain; whomever was about burst into laughter.

The Captain asked why she would want to give up her favorite prisoner; her crown jewel? Otto responds that she knows, he knows, they all know that the Pirate King is in a most comfortable position. Because no matter how much you torture him, or supposedly keep him in isolated quarters: the pirate fleets still operate and at a very efficient element at that. Oh dear reader, I wish you could feel it: the gathering of people grows cold and silent: an eerie, truthful calm falls over the crowd.

The Captain embraces Otto and takes him, arm in arm, and thus an odd alliance was formed. Otto’s yacht was never inspected. Otto was extended privilege, access to quarters and the docks, and extended whatever guard he chose.

On the cusp of daybreak in the secret shrine of Ela, the Master of the Temple was performing the customary parting of the night ceremony when perchance the Mystery Man appeared but not in the guise of Otto the Gentleman, no dear reader that is not what the Mystery Man looked like. Did the Mystery Man come in the guise of his former mentor Kareem? No dear reader, he did not come dressed as the Shade. The Mystery Man appeared as King Raphael Saberstrike and declared that Otto the Gentleman would serve as his ambassador to conduct the release of the Pirate King. The Master of the Temple quickly got into a defensive position and cohorts where summoned.

The Mystery Man under the guise of Raphael laughed off the defensive moves and proceeded to spill the beans as it where: that he was Otto the Rake come to claim his reward. Otto took the crown off his head, the State Crown of Cariele, and tossed it over to one of the Master of the Temple’s pawns who then handed it over to the Master. Otto the Rake explained his plan: to release the Pirate King alive under the guise of Otto the Gentleman. The Master of the Temple had to be most impressed but what would the cost be she asked? The Mystery Man set his conditions very firm: 2 tuns of gold or equivalent to be determined before any other phase of the negotiations could move forward. The Master would have to speak to the Pirate King but nevertheless Otto the Rake was given the honorary promotion to Master Thief and all powers that go to that position.

Otto would spend his days in the court of Muden, wining and dining the politico algesio, while nights where spent in the thieves guilds of Ela building a powerbase. Otto would start to collect allies everywhere, start to find ones that could serve him as henchmen. Many odd plots would start to circulate about what Otto the Rake was really up to but until the 2 tuns of gold could be secured Otto was near untouchable.

Because of course dear reader the Pirate King would jump at the chance for any attempt at a release and with the upfront offer of gold from Otto, the Pirate King knew what kind of release it was going to be: the Pirate King was going to be used as bait to lure the pirate fleet out into the open where the Muden Royal Fleet would no doubt want to clash. And that dear reader was just fine with the Pirate King, payoff Otto to do the dirty work, use the Master of the Temple to communicate with his fleet, and prepare to set a trap for a trap.

But dear reader do you think that is the end of our story? That Otto the Rake gets 2 tuns of gold and heads back home? Sure, but a few more things happen before that. You might ask yourself: what of the henchman that Otto recruited. One foul bunch was the Goblin Flotilla but they did not start off their life like that, no dear reader it took a bit of scraping and skullduggery to take a band of rag-tag goblin highway men and convert them into a naval unit but that is what Otto did in part of the year long negotiations.

Oh dear reader, I wish you could have seen it: Otto convinced the Captain that the pirates would hand over treasure equal in weight to the Pirate King and that they should begin to feed him non-stop. It was cartoonist in its gluttony: plate after plate after bowl after bowl of food was brought to the Pirate King. And the Pirate King ate and oh how he ate dear reader; it was as if Otto was fatting him up to eat like Otto was a wicked witch or something.

When the 2 tuns of gold and treasure where presented to Otto, he took his time sorting through the jink and finding the real jewels, past the fool’s gold and gold plated items. The 2 tuns Otto would secure for himself would be that: 2 tuns worth. The money was shipped around a lot of interesting places to disguise its whereabouts from the thief’s guild. It was literally like Otto would sort through a new pile of loot, find what he wanted, document it’s value against the 2 tuns he was owed and then instantly take it put it back on the street or invest it in ways the thieves guild would not see directly. And that is how after one year in Muden Otto the Rake got 2 tuns richer.

But how did Otto the Rake manage to secure a battered fleet sailing through the straits of Aerele one year, and thousands of miles after setting out from Cariele? That dear reader is how the release of the Pirate King would play out; with our boy the Mystery Man one-upping all the competition: coming out with the gold, with the temple of Ela in ruins, and parts of the pirate fleet and Royal Muden Fleet combined with his princely yacht and goblin flotilla. What is that dear reader? You want to know how Otto the rake pulled such stunts? How one mortal man could spit in the eye of a god, trick not one but two warlords into a losing situation, and come out on top rich as all get-out? Well dear reader, we would not call him the Mystery Man if you knew everything about how he worked. But let us just say this dear reader: Otto the Rake’s return to Muden really did secure him the title of Master Thief.

The State of Things

Place: The Hall of the Cloud Giant King

Actors:
CGK: The Cloud Giant King
CM: The Planeswalker known as the Cloud Mage

Scene 1
[CGK sits on a throne, when CM appears out of nowhere, standing motionless]

CGK: ah, my old friend has come! Why do you stand there as such? Come friend I have news for you! What is this? Why do you not respond, what has become of you? What queer apparition is this to appear before me? Slayer of Tran’ix, Master of the South Wind, Dominator of the Sky, who dares to stand speechless before me? Answer now or I will have your tongue!

CM: I responded to your call and I know what must be done, farewell old friend.

[CGK rises from his throne]

CGK: That is not what you are supposed to say! But could it be, that in your time spent journeying the outerworlds might you have the power to part the shadows? Could now be the time for man to get his revenge? Tell me old friend, what must I do, what can I do?

[CM moves his head to look around]

CM: Keep on living.

[CGK rises from his throne]

CGK: You dare to speak to me like that? I will summon my hammer and strike you down, letting you know the fury of the Thor!

[With that, CGK summons a powerful two-handed hammer and moves to strike CM but CGK is frozen mere feet from striking the human wizard]

[CM begins to hover, then moving to leave out of a window]

CGK: I must tell the Master of Magic what has happened.

Scene 2

We see the Could Mage leave the beautiful castle built upon clouds in the sky, heading ever upward, moving between layers of existence to arrive in the Shadow World. There the Cloud Mage makes haste, moving to the most dominate landmark on the horizon: that of the Cold Rider. The Cold Rider stands miles tall, pure white, with devil red eyes and it is those eyes that light up with the power of a thousand suns and burn the Cloud Mage as he approaches.

The question has been posed before in other places: in space, can you hear a person scream? Well dear reader, we are not here to answer that so how about we phrase the question more suited to our topic: in the Shadow World can anyone here you scream? And the answer dear reader is a simple yes: yes you can hear the Cloud Mage scream. The Cloud Mage screams because not only is his life being drained from him, but his very essence as well.

But who dear reader could hear the death knell of the Cloud Mage (considered to be the most powerful wizard ever known)? The answer can be found in the odd unnatural occurrence that happened when the Cloud Giant King’s message was received. The night sky lit up with the Moon in full effect, and then followed by the rising sun but that was not all: with the full Moon and the sun the stars began to shine bright. And that dear reader was the effect of the coming together of three of the most power deities, to late to intervene but able to bear witness to the death of perhaps their most powerful mortal champion. The Cloud Mage killed by the Cold Rider.

Labor Day Indeed

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